Automatic fire-lighter



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

W. S. OVERLIN.

AUTOMATIC FIRE LIGHTER.

No. 592,882. Patented Nov. 2. 1897.

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ATTORNEY.

WITNESSES (No Model.)

2 t e e h S w e h S 2 E NM IG LH R ER VH 0 U S -M. W T U A No. 592,882.. Patented Nov. 297.

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UNITED STATES" PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM S. OVERLIN, OF PORTLAND, OREGON.

AUTOMATIC FIRE-LIGHTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 592,882, dated November 2, 1897. Application filed D em r '7 1896. Serial No. 614,704. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM S. OVERLIN, residing at Portland, in the county of Multnomah and State of Oregon, have invented a new and Improved Automatic Fire-Lighter and Alarm, of which the following is a specification. p

'My invention primarily has for its object to provide a simple and inexpensive automatically-operated means which can be set to light a fire and give an alarm, if desired, at the same, time. f

My invention,furthermore, has for its object to provide a mechanism of this character which will operate to first ignite the firelighting torch at a point without the stove and then move it under the grate or fire-box to ignite the previously-prepared fuel.

With other objects in view, which will hereinafter be referred to, the invention consists in a device for the purposes stated, comprising the peculiar combination and novel arrangement of parts, such as will be first described in detail and then be specifically pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of the device,

the parts being set for operation at the predetermined time. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same, the clock mechanism being removed and the several parts in their set position. Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the several parts, the clock being in side elevation and the operating-slides in their set position.- Fig. 4 is a plan view of the lighting devices, the match-holder or igniting-frame being shown moved forward to ignite the torch or igniting-carriage. Figs. 5 'and 6 are detail sections taken, respectively, on the lines 5 5 and 6 6 of Fig. 4. Figs. 7 and 8 are detail views of the match-holder slide or carriage. Fig. 9 is a detail View of the sliding torchholder or carriage, and Fig. 10 is adetail view of the spring-actuated plunger-frame for forcing such torch-holder out to the end of track or guide-frame. Fig. 11 is a detail view of a modification hereinafter referred to.

In its practical construction my invention comprises a base 1, on which is mounted a suitable clock 2, having the usual alarm mechanism. Upon this base is also mounted a pair of longitudinally-disposed track-rails 3, which have their front ends secured in sockets 4, which sockets receive the ends of a detachable track-section 5, closed at the front end, which is of a suitable length and bent down, as at 5 so as to readily extend into the ash-box under the grate of the stove when the base 1 is set on the front stove ledge or other support, such extension being also made detachable to admit of its being readily withdrawn from the socket portions 4 for compactness when it is desired to use the clock Y during the day for ordinary purposes.

Disposed parallel to the tracks 3 is a second set of tracks 7 7, upon which is held to slide the match-holding carriage 8, the construction of which is best shown in Figs. 7 and 8, and which consists of a base having laterals 9 at the front end provided with clamps 10, having springs 11, adapted to hold the matches in the manner clearly shown in Fig. 2, such laterals 9 having guides 9 and the base a transverse portion 12 at the rear end provided with guides 13 and a lock-flange 14, the guides 13 and 9 being arranged to engage and ride upon the rods 3 7, respectively. (See Figs. 2 and 4.)

. 15 indicates aflat spring held pendent from the clock-frame, and 16 indicates a flat spring secured to the base 1, provided with a lockshoulder 17 and a normally upwardly and rearwardly extended portion 18.

' Adjacent to the tracks 7 7 and inside thereof at a point near the rear ends arefixedly held scratch or friction plates 19.

20 indicates a slide-carriage which has a suitable perforated wick-holding cylinder 21 and guides 22, adapted to engage and slide on the tracks 3 and 5, its front end having a pendent member 23, which is adapted to engage a stop 2 when such carriage is set to be ignited. I

24 indicates a plunger or push frame, the construction of which is best shown in Fig. 10, and consists of the parallel side members 25, the front and rear cross-bars 26, having guide-recesses 27, whereby such frame is held to freely slide on the tracks 3, such frame also having a transverse rod 27 and at the rear a lock portion 28,,the rod being arranged to engage a flap-spring 29, held pendent from the clock-base when such frame. is moved back or set for operation, and the lock portion 28 to engage a flat spring 30, secured to the base 1, having a lock-shoulder 31 and a free upwardly and rearwardlyextending member 32, as clearly shown in Fig. 5.

33 indicates a cylinder journaled transversely on the base 1 at the rear of the same and at a point over the portions and 18 of the flat springs 16 and made to rotate in one direction by an in closed spring 31 (see Fig. 3) and in a reverse direction by means of a flexible connection 35, which is held back by the spring 34, which has one end wound about the same and connected thereto, while its upper end is wound on the alarm-winding key-shaft 36, which has a drum 37 to receive the same, as clearly shown in Fig. The cylinder 33 has a pair of cam projections 38 and 39, arranged out of alinement-i. 6., at different pointsso that one will operate in advance of the other when the said cylinder is rotated by the pull on the cord which is wound upon the alarm-shaft, such projections 38 and 35 being, however, so disposed on the cylinder to engage, respectively, but at different times, the spring ends 32 and 18.

The manner in which my improvement is operated is best explained as follows: To set the devices,the match-carrier 8 is pushed back until its rear cross member presses back the spring 15 and its lock member 1 L engages the shoulder 17 of the spring 10, such cross member, as will be seen by reference to Fig. 3, being at a plane below the pusher-frame, so as not to interfere with the movement thereof. hen in this position, the matches are set with their stems in the spring-holders 10, so their igniting ends will be held in en gagement with the strike or serrated member 19, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. The pusher-frame is then slid back until its lock member 23 engages the shoulder 31 of the spring 30 and its cross-bar pushes the spring 29 back under considerable tension. (See Fig. 3.) The extension-track 5 is then connected to the tracks 3 and the igniting-carriage pushed up to the position shown in Fig. 2, it being understood before setting the several parts, as described, the cylinder is first turned to bring the projections in the position shown in Fig. 3 by winding the alarm-mechanism shaft.

Assuming the several parts to have been set as stated and the clock-alarm set to ring, say, at 5.15 a. m., it follows that as soon as the alarm is released the spring-cylinder will be rotated, and as its projection 39 is in advance of the projection 38 the spring 16 will be first depressed and the match-holder released, which is then forced forward by the spring 15 and its matches being lighted as they pass forward, the forward movement of the matchholder being limited by the stops 40. At this time the igniter-carriage remains in its set position and in consequence becomes properly and positively lighted by the lighted matches. During this operation the spring- This cylinder is rotated cylinder continues on its movement until the projection 39 depresses spring 16 and releases the pusher-frame, which, as it is shot forward by the spring 29, engages the igniter-carriage and causes it to slide out to the end of the track 5 under the fuel in the stove.

By bending the wire track down the same will also aid the fire-carriage in sliding down to the loop end of the track by gravity. By arranging the projections 011 the spring-cylinder in the mannerstated the match-carriage and the plunger will be operated at proper predeterminedintervals, and thereby insure a positive igniting of the sliding torch before it is forced forward under the fuel.

My invention provides a very positive and reliable device for the purposes stated which will be found of great utility to the laboring man and housewife.

It is obvious that slight changes and modifications maybe made in the arrangement of the several parts without departing from the spirit of my invention or sacrificing any of the advantages of the same.

In Fig. 11 I have shown a modified means for releasing the springs 30 and 10, which consists of a pair of pendent rods 40 41, one of which has a cross-head 40 and the other a projecting crank end 41. One of the rods, -10, engages the spring 16, while the other engages the spring 30. The alarm-winding shaft has a radial arm 42 loosely mounted thereon and a fixed member 43, having a stud 13. The several parts are so arranged that when the alarm-shaft rotates the fixed member 43 will engage the rod 40 and depress same to release the match-slide carriage, such member, as it continues in its revolution, engaging the arm 42 and depressing same to press down the rod 41 to release the torchearriage-operating plunger.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. An automatic fire-lighter, comprising a base, a guide or trackway adapted to be projected under the fuel, an igniting-carriage held to slide on such trackway, a sliding match-holder, means for igniting the matches as the holder is moved out, and mechanism for successively moving, first the match-holder into contact with the igniting-carriage and subsequently moving the igniting-carriage out on its trackway as specified.

2. An automatic fire-lighter, comprising a base for holding the operating mechanism, said base having a trackway provided with a downwardly-curved extension, an ignitingcarriage held to slide on such trackway, a fixed friction-surface, a sliding match-holder having matches adapted to engage such friction-surface, and means for first moving the match-holder into position to light the igniting-carriage and then to force such carriage forward as specified.

3. An automatic fire-lighter, comprising a base having a trackway with a forwardly-extending member, an igniting-carriage held to slide thereon, a spring-actuated plunger held to slide on such trackway and adapted to engage the igniting-carriage, detent devices for holding the plunger under springtension, fixed friction-surfaces, a spring-actuated sliding match-carrier, detent devices for holding it to its set position, a clock mechanism and devices governed by the clock mechanism for successively operating the match-carrier and the plunger substantially in the manner shown and for the purposes described.

4. An automatic fire-lighter, comprising a base, an alarm-clock mechanism held thereon, a trackway having a forward extension, an igniting-carriage slidable thereon, a stop for limiting the inward movement of such carriage, a second trackway, having a stop adjacent the igniting-carriage stop, a match-holding carriage having matches and movable on the second trackway, a plunger movable on the igniting-carriage trackway, spring devices for forcing the said plunger and match-holder forward, detents for holding the plunger and match holder under spring tension, fixed friction-surfaces which engage with the match ends and trip devices connected with and released by the movement .of the clock mechanism as specified.

5. In an automatic fire-lighter, the combination with the match-lighting mechanism and means for moving the lighted match carried by such mechanism into position, of a trackway having a detachable extension, and an igniter-carriage held to slide thereon, sub stantially as shown.

6. In a clock-operated fire-lighting mechanism, the combination with the base, the trackways 7 and 3 held thereon, the ignitercarriage 2O movable on the trackways 3, and the fixed strike-surfaces, 19, of the matchholder 8 held to slide on the trackways 7, and having spring-clamps 10 to receive the matches, the plunger 24, the springs and 29, the detents 16 and for holding the match-holder and plunger to their set position, the cylinder, 33, having projections 38 and 39 said cylinder being one direction, flexible connections joining the said clock mechanism, all being arranged as shown and described.

WVILLIAM S. OVERLIN.

Witnesses:

A. T. LEWIS, A. L. KEENAN.

spring-rotated in 

